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Taiwanese-based Offshore Group Corp has placed a contract with SembCorp Marine’s subsidiary Shipyard PPL to build a third Baker Marine Pacific Class (BMC Pacific) 375 self elevating drilling unit or jackup with ABS securing its classification.  The rig is the third in a series with ABS also having been specified in the building standards for the previous rigs.

The rig will be equipped with a drilling package allowing it to drill high pressure and high temperature wells up to a depth of 30,000 feet while operating in up to 375 feet of water.

ABS has extensive experience with this jackup design which is a PPL proprietary design.  This makes the 19th BMC Pacific rig classed or on order to ABS class.   Delivery is scheduled for September 2009.  ABS’ market share for rig classification is around 76 percent of the worldwide rig fleet.

UPDATE:  As ENERGY NEWS was being posted PPL secured another jackup, now making the series four units.  ABS was again named the class society for this BMC Pacific 375 design valued at $198 million.